2009 COP Communitas Awards: Ken Genser 2009
Ken Genser
After Ken Genser graduated from college, he came to Santa Monica to continue his studies in architecture. His choice to live in Ocean Park was a natural one. Ocean Park was where, as a young boy, he spent weekends with his grandmother, and where his parents-both immigrants-lived in their youth, met and married.
Ken grew up in Beverlywood and Ladera Heights. At Inglewood High School he and his friends organized a discussion group to bring progressive topics and speakers to school. At an early age, Ken knew that he wanted to study architecture, which he did at the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley, and later at Sci-Arc in Santa Monica
Ken see the events of his life as a series of unfolding experiences where he continually learns from being in community with others. While living at the Sea Castle in the mid 1970s, he worked with his neighbors to establish a tenants' union after the building was put into receivership. Their goal was to purchase the building as a limited equity cooperative and preserve it as affordable housing in perpetuity. Although that effort was not successful, he met other like-minded people who wanted to preserve affordable housing and maintain the diversity of the community. It was with the group of people, working in conjunction with the Ocean Park Community Organization (OPCO), that Community Corporation of Santa Monica (CCSM) was founded with Ken serving on the first board of directors.
In the early 1980s Ken was appointed to a city task force to work on Santa Monica's Housing Element where he chaired the subcommittee on goals and policies. Next, he served on the city's Planning Commission and later he became a director of the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation to help reconstruct the landmark pier damaged in the 1983 storms. A commitment to preservation with a mind towards providing access to a diverse group of people has guided Ken's decisions.
In response to development policies he thought were inappropriate for Santa Monica, Ken ran for the City Council and was elected to his first term in 1988. Since then, he has served almost 21 years, and has been elected Mayor three times. But, when addressed as "Mayor Genser," he typically says, "Call me Ken."He says it's more important for people to understand that he has been elected as a resident-representative in the city government, and as such the formality of a title can only serve to obscure that job. Ken believes that the energy and vision of Santa Monica's people are the driving force behind the best programs of the City, including education and support for youth, housing, environmental sustainability, social services, and historic preservation. He describes as a key role of the city the provision of the infrastructure to nourish and manifest these creative energies from residents.
Ken's philosophy is that Santa Monica must strive to be a city of inclusion. When people get to know each other, traditional barriers fall and there is a greater potential for people of diverse backgrounds to form a sense of shared responsibility. Through zoning, housing policy, urban design, cultural and recreational programs, and social services, cities can make it more or less likely for people to interact with their neighbors or a greater sense of community is a major driver of Ken's decisions as a council member.
As Ken works in community with others, he sees these as the top three accomplishments of the City:
1) Support for affordable housing. "We do a remarkable job here in Santa Monica, particularly in view of the high price of real estate. The effort began in the late 70s and early eighties with the adoption of policies to direct significant resources into affordable housing, and to adjust regulations to require and/or encourage its production and preservation. In addition, the people wisely enacted rent control."
2) Support for youth and our public schools. "Most cities do not provide local support for public education. We do. Additionally, we support a range of programs and services to provide young people programs and services that help them grow up in a more positive environment. These include support for child and infant care, recreational programs, homework assistance, cultural activities, and job training."
3) Environmental sustainability. "The city has a comprehensive sustainability plan that establishes meaningful goals to reduce our adverse impact on the environment. Sustainability is required in just about every decision of the city. Sustainability is considered in just about every every decision of the city. Areas of success include water conservation, sewage reduction, alternate fuels for vehicles, ocean pollution prevention, purchasing of goods and materials, and green buildings."
When asked what local building he most identified with, Ken chose the 1940 Aero Theater on Montana Avenue. His grandfather was the contractor who built it in the style of French Norman architecture for Donald W. Douglas. His father worked there when it opened, and Ken had his first fundraiser there ("actually a fund-loser") when he ran for office in 1988. [see the same note in 1939 and 2010]
As Council person Richard Bloom describes, "Ken has been a driving force for preserving the things we cherish about Santa Monica. These include affordable housing, maintaining the scale and character of our residential community, and compassion and inclusion for everyone in our city. Ken encouraged and inspired me to get involved politically in Santa Monica and it has been an honor to serve with him on the City Council. Ken's sense of humor and sharp intellect are among his greatest assets. I am proud to be both his friend and colleague and commend him on this well deserved honor."
The honorable Ken Genser has shown a steadfast commitment to the living wage movement, city workers, and neighborhood groups in Santa Monica while giving tireless service on the City Council. Santa Monica and its residents are indeed fortunate that he has chosen this city to live, work and give.
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